Peace, trade not at cost of Indian hegemony: FPCCI

ISLAMABAD, Sept 26 (APP): The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Monday said it was ready to work for peace and trade in the region but not at the cost of Indian hegemony.

Pakistani industry was ready to severe ties with India amid growing tensions after the unverified allegations of Uri attack, FPCCI Vice President Riaz Khattak said in a statement here.

He said,”We are concerned over the situation and believe that a conflict will be disastrous for both countries.”

He said Pakistan needed to take a hard stand on India.

However, war was not a solution to the Indo-Pak crisis as if a war happened it would destroy the Indian economy, besides isolating the country globally, he added.

Diplomatic isolation and international pressure, he said, was the only way to show the Indian brutalities on Kahsmiris which they had been continuously undergoing for the last 70 years.

Khattak said the FPCCI was behind Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the armed forces for steering Pakistan’s interest in the best possible direction.

He said principally Indian and Pakistani businessmen must work together to find areas of mutual interest.

“The governments of both countries need to take a step back and businesses must take the initiative, this is the only way to increase trade and investment and deepen relationships within the South Asian economies, but it can
only happen if the Indian Government may stop levelling allegations against Pakistan and initiate dialogue on disputed issues,” he observed.

Riaz Khattak said the peace process between the two nations which had started from Ufa meet was derailed because Pakistan wanted inclusion of Kashmiri leaders in the talks which was a normal practice earlier but India took a hard line.